Imperial Beach mayor delivers first city address

IMPERIAL BEACH  More than 100 citizens, business owners and community leaders packed a Pier South resort conference room in Imperial Beach on Wednesday, to hear Mayor Jim Janney’s first state of the city address since being elected mayor in 2006.

Janney, who is running for his third term this year, started off with saying why Imperial Beach is a great place to live, work and play.

“Imperial Beach is a great place to raise a family, own a business or simply enjoy yourself,” he said.

He touted the city’s new hotel, a $28 million, four-story boutique hotel on Seacoast Drive that opened Jan. 15.

Its opening was preceded by the Cohn Restaurant Group’s coastal tavern SEA180, which opened Dec. 18, 2013 and is located on the hotel’s first floor.

“This restaurant is employing dozens of people that live in Imperial Beach,” Janney said.

In addition, Coronado Brewing Co. is moving onto Seacoast Drive after the owners signed a 25-year lease in October 2013. It’s expected to open this spring.

But perhaps the biggest news was Janney announcing the city’s long-awaited approval for the development of a retail and commercial project at Ninth Street and Palm Avenue by developer Sudberry Palm LLC.

The project had wavered following the 2012 state-ordered dissolution of redevelopment agencies across California. The city had to wait for a nod from the state department of finance to move forward with plans for more than 46,000 square feet of commercial space, market and retail shops on land that had stood vacant for years.

“It was a very hard fight,” Janney said. “It’s hard to convince somebody in Sacramento … I cannot believe we actually did that.”

Imperial Beach resident Erika Lowery was happy to hear the development is moving forward.

“It’s been an eyesore for this community for a long time,” she said.

Janney also discussed the synergy with other businesses and projects coming into the city.

Earlier this month, council members approved permits for construction of a two-story affordable housing project on 10th Street and Donax Avenue. The project will feature six condominium units built by Habitat for Humanity in the heart of the Palm Avenue corridor.

Another project in progress is a replacement fence for Pond 20 — 95 acres between Palm Avenue and the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. The joint project is a priority of the Port of San Diego, City of San Diego and Caltrans.

“That entrance way is very important even though it’s not in our city,” Janney said. “It’s the gateway to Imperial Beach.”

The city also expects to see construction begin on a new library through a city-county partnership with completion in 2015.

“Partnerships always (have) and always will be the key for Imperial Beach,” Janney said. “The partnerships will keep us moving forward.”

As far as stabilizing city finances, Janney said it has not come without sacrifice, but today the city has no debt.

“We do not borrow from our children, we live within our means,” he said. “We’ve established policies of maintaining reserves. We’ve also allocated extra money to bring public improvements to a higher level.”